Zero harm – Implats’ vision

Despite marginal improvements in safety performance, regretfully 11 of our employees died at work during the year. Post year-end a further nine
employees lost their lives in a major fall-of-ground incident

Safety remains the highest priority for Implats, and we are committed to achieving our vision of Zero Harm. It is a tragedy that 11 employees lost their lives at work during the year, and a further nine were killed in a fall-of-ground incident at 14 Shaft in July 2009. We extend our sincere and deep sympathies to the families and friends of all those who died.

The groups safety performance did, nevertheless, improve marginally during the year. The improvement in the fatality rate, however, belies the disappointing safety records of both the Rustenburg and Marula operations. Ten of our team members were fatally injured at Rustenburg, and one at Marula. The lost-time injury frequency rate for the group was maintained at 2.92 per million man-hours worked.

It is of great concern to the company that safety performance was well below the targets set. A number of safety initiatives, developed jointly with our unions, were rolled out during the year. These include:

Creating and promoting a safety culture within every employee at Implats;

Visible safety leadership using our behaviour-based safety programmes and recognition of outstanding safety leaders and achievers in the company.

We are using our increased understanding of the cause of accidents to improve our performance going forward. Increased co-operation between management and employees will enable the further development of strategies to mitigate future incidents.

Implats welcomes the Department of Mineral Resources attention to safety and applauds all efforts to increase safety in the mining industry. It is only through the involvement of all role-players  including government, unions, management, employees, employee representatives and members of the community  that a safer working environment will be created. The realisation of the vision Zero Harm will only be achieved through a collective effort.

In memory of our deceased colleagues:

Name

Operation

Date

Home

Thobo Tshose

Impala 11 shaft

30 July 2008

Chaneng Village, North West Province

Arone James Makhobosi

Impala 16 shaft

3 August 2008

Kanana Village, North West Province

Bongani Qhuqhani

Impala 10 shaft

26 August 2008

Mfidikwe Village, North West Province

Moeketsi Sebotsa

Impala 11 shaft

17 September 2008

Klerksdorp, North West Province

Thethani Sorry Phondoyi

Impala 12 shaft

14 October 2008

Queenstown, Eastern Cape

Tshepo Mazibuko

Impala 20 shaft

27 November 2008

Mafikeng, North West Province

Mkhawuleni Zulu

Impala 14 shaft

7 January 2009

Kwasiwela Village, KwaZulu Natal

Romeu Francisco Chivale

Impala 14 shaft

16 February 2009

Massinga, Mozambique

Tobias Nelson Khameni

Impala 10 shaft

21 March 2009

Mqanduli, Eastern Cape

Mamonwana Jacob Montwedi

Impala 2 shaft

14 April 2009

Hartebeestfontein, North West Province

Lazarus Mashabela

Marula Clapham

21 May 2009

Mashishi Village, Mpumalanga

Tragedy at 14 shaft

On 20th July 2009, nine employees tragically lost their lives in a massive fall-of-ground incident in one of the mechanised sections. A tri-partite investigation involving Implats, the DMR and the unions, together with an independent review, was conducted. In order to significantly reduce the operational risks the decision was taken to reduce bord widths to six metres across all Rustenburg mechanised sections. A memorial service was held in Rustenburg on Friday, 24th July.